If you asked the question, “What is beauty?” of twenty different people, you would probably get twenty different answers. I looked the question up, and I saw answers like: beauty is your health, beauty is in your appearance, beauty is in your figure, and the list goes on and on. Now all these answers may be true, if we are talking about physical beauty. But is that what really counts? So many have been swept away in the foolish thinking that outward appearance is what really matters, that beauty on the outside is what is important. There is no reason why you need to go along with this. You should break the wave and instead, look at what is beautiful on the inside.
You should look at what is beautiful on the inside because outward beauty does not last. Proverbs says that “Beauty is fleeting”[1]and in the book of 1 Peter it says that your beauty should not come from your outward appearance “Instead, it should be of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit…”[2] Our physical beauty on the outside will not last long, but what is on the inside is unfading. Something that sums this up well is the phrase “beauty is as beauty does”. That is a definition of beauty that you do not hear much anymore. It means that your beauty is defined by what you do, rather than how you look. This is what we should invest our time in something that lasts instead of something that dies.
Another reason why you should look at what is beautiful on the inside is because outward beauty can be deceptive. There is an old saying that says “Beauty is only skin deep” and that is very true. The outward beauty that is focused on so much is sometimes just a cover for something ugly underneath. And, sometimes, what is not very pretty on the outside turns out to be something marvelous underneath. You can never see beauty by just looking at the outside of a person. As it says in Proverbs, “Charm is deceptive…but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised”[3].
Lastly, you should look at beauty on the inside because that is what God sees. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and our beholder is God. He does not look at beauty the way we do. Take, for example, when Samuel was looking for Israel’s next king, God said to him:
Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.[4]
God sees everything, including our hearts. He knows who is truly beautiful and who is not. And a person who is really beautiful is of great worth in God’s sight.
So then, what is beauty? True beauty is what lasts, what is genuine, and what is precious in God’s sight. God is the designer and the creator of beauty everything that is beautiful reflects him. Therefore, when we are imitators of Christ instead of the world that is when we are truly beautiful. Be an imitator of Christ and look as he looks and see what is beautiful on the inside.
[1] Proverbs 31:31, New International Version
[2] 1 Peter 3:4, New International Version
[3] Proverbs 30:31, New International Version
[4] 1 Samuel 16:7, New International Version
Monday, March 05, 2007
Adoption
It all started in 1996, when the Hastings family walked up to a table. The table was filled with pictures of orphans that their church had helped. They picked up a picture of a little girl and they took home to pray for her. Little did they know how God would use that little girl to change their lives. They had never thought of adoption before, but now God brought it to their minds. It became clear that they should bring her home. And not just her, but her little sister too! After the adoption they had a great desire to share the joy and blessings that they had experienced through adoption. They then started a program to help others adopt. They helped blaze a trail for adoption that is now wide open for us. Here are two reasons why you should follow in their footsteps and support adoption.
The first reason why you should support adoption because there is a need. There are many children around the world who have never known what it is like to have a real home or a real family. There are children in China who have lived in an orphanage their whole lives because their parents could not afford to have another child. There are also orphanages in Haiti that are packed full. Places like this where the people are so poor, they send their children to the orphanage in the hope that they will live better there. There are also many children right around us. In 2005 there were approximately 114,000 children waiting for adoption in the United States.[1] There are kids all over the world whose parents either could not take care of them, would not take care of them, or else thought that someone else could do a better job caring for them. Clearly the need for adoption is very great.
Another reason why you should support adoption is because you yourself have been adopted. As it says in Ephesians:
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given to us in the one he loves.[2]
Before the creation of the world, God chose his church to be adopted through Christ. You see, adoption was designed and created by God. The adoption that we have here on earth is just a tiny picture of our adoption by God, but it is still an amazing picture. Through our adoption he has shown us an incredible amount of mercy and love that ought to be reflected through us to others. Take a look at what John says:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.[3]
You have been shown much love through adoption. You should show that love to others.
The trail has been blazed, the invitation has been sent, now it is up to you to decide whether or not to follow. It is apparent that there is a need, and you should help with that need. Even if you are not able to adopt a child yourself, you can help others to adopt by assisting them through the adoption process, praying for them, and supporting them financially. It is also apparent that God has immensely blessed you through adoption. He has provided a beautiful picture of what adoption should look like. You should follow in the footsteps that he has provided and support adoption.
[1] “Trends in Foster Care and Adoption”, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/trends.htm
[2] Ephesians 1:4-6, New International Version
[3] 1 John 4:10-11, New International Version
The first reason why you should support adoption because there is a need. There are many children around the world who have never known what it is like to have a real home or a real family. There are children in China who have lived in an orphanage their whole lives because their parents could not afford to have another child. There are also orphanages in Haiti that are packed full. Places like this where the people are so poor, they send their children to the orphanage in the hope that they will live better there. There are also many children right around us. In 2005 there were approximately 114,000 children waiting for adoption in the United States.[1] There are kids all over the world whose parents either could not take care of them, would not take care of them, or else thought that someone else could do a better job caring for them. Clearly the need for adoption is very great.
Another reason why you should support adoption is because you yourself have been adopted. As it says in Ephesians:
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given to us in the one he loves.[2]
Before the creation of the world, God chose his church to be adopted through Christ. You see, adoption was designed and created by God. The adoption that we have here on earth is just a tiny picture of our adoption by God, but it is still an amazing picture. Through our adoption he has shown us an incredible amount of mercy and love that ought to be reflected through us to others. Take a look at what John says:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.[3]
You have been shown much love through adoption. You should show that love to others.
The trail has been blazed, the invitation has been sent, now it is up to you to decide whether or not to follow. It is apparent that there is a need, and you should help with that need. Even if you are not able to adopt a child yourself, you can help others to adopt by assisting them through the adoption process, praying for them, and supporting them financially. It is also apparent that God has immensely blessed you through adoption. He has provided a beautiful picture of what adoption should look like. You should follow in the footsteps that he has provided and support adoption.
[1] “Trends in Foster Care and Adoption”, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/trends.htm
[2] Ephesians 1:4-6, New International Version
[3] 1 John 4:10-11, New International Version
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Why Is Abortion Detrimental to Society?
In 1976 a young woman found out that she was going to have a baby. For various reasons this woman decided that she should have an abortion. She went into the clinic and had the abortion done, but it did not work. Instead she gave birth to a baby girl named Gianna. Gianna has now grown up, and she knows that she would not be alive today if that abortion had worked. She also knows that there are many babies who are not alive today because of they were victims of abortion. She knows that it is time to end abortion and she is working towards that goal. You also need to take action and join the fight to stop abortion. If nothing is done, it will hurt us in the end.
We need to start working to stop abortion because abortion is murder. When a woman becomes pregnant, there is a real live baby growing inside of her. Luke 1:41 (KJV) says that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting “the babe leaped in her womb.” Can a blob of tissue leap? Of course not! This wasn’t a blob of tissue; it was a real, live baby growing inside her womb. The women who go in to have an abortion also have a real live baby growing inside of them. Therefore, abortion is murder and something needs to be done.
Abortion needs to be stopped because if it’s not, effectively we are killing the next generation. In thirty years, who will be in the military? The next generation. Who will take care of the old, sick, and hurt in thirty years? The next generation will. In thirty years who will advance our technology and bring around new thinking? It is the next generation. Do you see? All these babies could not only hurt us if they are aborted, but also could help us if they are saved. As it says in Psalm 127:3 (KJV)
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Something needs to be done about abortion because otherwise we are taking advantage of the weakest among us. The babies that have not been born yet cannot speak. Who will defend them?
Today, a baby is a baby when convenient. It is tissue or otherwise when the time is not right. A baby is a baby when miscarriage takes place at two, three, four months. A baby is called a tissue or clumps of cells when an abortion takes place at two, three, four months. Why is that? I see no difference. What are you seeing? Many close their eyes…[1]
Our country has begun to eat up lies. These lies tell us that the “baby” is not really alive, or even if it is, it wouldn’t be a life worth living. In 1 Thessalonians 4:6, it says that no one should “defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such.” It is dangerous for our country not to value life. We did not value life when there were slaves in America. Adolf Hitler did not value life when he killed so many of the Jewish people. Do we really want this to happen all over again? It’s what could happen if nothing is done. President Ronald Reagan said it well
The cultural environment for a human holocaust is present whenever any society can be misled into defining individuals as less than human and therefore devoid of value and respect.[2]
We need to take action because by letting abortions happen, we’re throwing out the foundation that this country was built on. In our very own Declaration of Independence it says
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.[3]
According to this, everyone, not just those that have already been born, are entitled to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Abortion takes away their life, and without their life they certainly cannot pursue happiness nor have liberty. You cannot fit abortion in there anywhere. Our founding fathers did not put it in there, and we shouldn’t undermine what they said. It is the foundation that was laid for our country and if we pull it out, our country will fall. Psalm 127:1 says
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Now Gianna, and others like her, probably understands the dangers of abortion better than we will ever be able to, but that should not stop us from working with her. She would agree that abortion is hurting us, even if we cannot see it right now. She would also agree in saying that you need to join the force to stop abortions from happening. I believe that she would also say that we can never win this battle on our own. The only way that we will ever win the fight against abortion is if we put all our trust in God. As it says in Psalm 37:5-6 (KJV)
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
[1] Jessen, Gianna, before the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary committee, April 22,1996
[2] Reagan, Ronald, Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation,1933
[3] Declaration of Independence
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jessen, Gianna, before the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary committee, April 22, 1996
Reagan, Ronald, Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation, 1933
The Declaration of Independence
The Holy Bible, King James Version
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Introduction (essay #1)
Almost everyday as you watch the news, you’ll see a report on a traumatic event that has happened somewhere. These events are terrible, sometimes even heart-wrenching and tear-jerking. Perhaps you wish that something could be done to prevent these awful things from happening, but there’s nothing that you can do, right? Well, there’s something going on right now that you need to be aware of. It’s called abortion. Millions of babies have been killed by abortion, and something needs to be done. You need to take action and join the fight to stop abortion. If nothing is done, it will hurt us in the end.
some of the middle part (essay #1)
We need to start working to stop abortion because abortion is murder. When a woman becomes pregnant, there is a real live baby growing inside of her. Luke 1:41 (KJV) says that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting “the babe leaped in her womb”. Can a blob of tissue leap? Of coarse not! This wasn’t a blob of tissue; it was a real, live baby growing inside her womb. The women who go in to have an abortion also have a real live baby growing inside of them. Therefore, abortion is murder and something needs to be done.
Abortion needs to be stopped because if it’s not, effectively we’re killing the next generation. In thirty years, who will be in the military? The next generation. Who will take care of the old, sick, and hurt in thirty years? The next generation will. In thirty years who will advance our technology and bring around new thinking? It’s the next generation. Don’t you see? All these babies that could be aborted not only could help us if they’re saved, but also could hurt us if they’re not.
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Abortion needs to be stopped because if it’s not, effectively we’re killing the next generation. In thirty years, who will be in the military? The next generation. Who will take care of the old, sick, and hurt in thirty years? The next generation will. In thirty years who will advance our technology and bring around new thinking? It’s the next generation. Don’t you see? All these babies that could be aborted not only could help us if they’re saved, but also could hurt us if they’re not.
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
some more of the middle part (essay #1)
Something needs to be done about abortion because otherwise we’re taking advantage of the weakest among us. The babies that have not been born yet cannot speak. Who will defend them?
Today, a baby is a baby when convenient. It is tissue or otherwise when the time is not right. A baby is a baby when miscarriage takes place at two, three, four months. A baby is called a tissue or clumps of cells when an abortion takes place at two, three, four months. Why is that? I see no difference. What are you seeing? Many close there eyes…
Our country has begun to eat up lies. These lies tell us that the “baby” is not really alive, or even if it is, it wouldn’t be a life worth living. In 1 Thessalonians 4:6, it says that no one should “defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such,” It’s dangerous for our country to disvalue life. We disvalued life when there were slaves in America. Adolf Hitler disvalued life when he killed so many of the Jewish people. Do we really want this to happen all over again? It’s what could happen if nothing is done.
The cultural environment for a human holocaust is present whenever any society can be misled into defining individuals as less than human and therefore devoid of value and respect.
We need to take action because by letting abortions happen, we’re throwing out the foundation that this country was built on.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
According to this, everyone, not just those that have already been born, are entitled to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. Abortion takes away their life, and without their life they can’t pursue happiness or have liberty. You just can’t squeeze abortion in there anywhere! Our founding fathers didn’t put it in there, and we shouldn’t undermine what they said. It’s the foundation that was laid for our country and if we pull it out, our country will fall.
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Today, a baby is a baby when convenient. It is tissue or otherwise when the time is not right. A baby is a baby when miscarriage takes place at two, three, four months. A baby is called a tissue or clumps of cells when an abortion takes place at two, three, four months. Why is that? I see no difference. What are you seeing? Many close there eyes…
Our country has begun to eat up lies. These lies tell us that the “baby” is not really alive, or even if it is, it wouldn’t be a life worth living. In 1 Thessalonians 4:6, it says that no one should “defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such,” It’s dangerous for our country to disvalue life. We disvalued life when there were slaves in America. Adolf Hitler disvalued life when he killed so many of the Jewish people. Do we really want this to happen all over again? It’s what could happen if nothing is done.
The cultural environment for a human holocaust is present whenever any society can be misled into defining individuals as less than human and therefore devoid of value and respect.
We need to take action because by letting abortions happen, we’re throwing out the foundation that this country was built on.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
According to this, everyone, not just those that have already been born, are entitled to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. Abortion takes away their life, and without their life they can’t pursue happiness or have liberty. You just can’t squeeze abortion in there anywhere! Our founding fathers didn’t put it in there, and we shouldn’t undermine what they said. It’s the foundation that was laid for our country and if we pull it out, our country will fall.
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
My conclusion (essay #1)
Abortion is slowly chinking away at the foundation of our society. If it continues, society will crumble. And what will come next, with our foundation gone? Hopefully we will never find out, if we work together to stop abortion. But we can never accomplish this on our own. The only way that we will ever win the fight against abortion is if we put all our trust in him.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Brainstorming...
So, I already had my topic picked out, which was nice. I'm doing my essay on why abortion is detrimental to society. In my brainstorming session(s), I basically tried to figure out what I was going to say. I mean, abortion is wrong, it's murder, but that's not what my essay's about. I have a whole different "target audience". An audience that doesn't necessarily agree with me about when life begins. Why is abortion detrimental to society? How does it hurt us? That's what I tried to figure out.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
"Bunks For Drunks"
http://worldmag.com/article/12303
Here they are:
1. He interviewed people to find out what their view is
2. He shows both sides in the matter
3. He gives the background information
4. He says that their view is wrong, but in a polite way
5. He gives a better solution to the problem
Here they are:
1. He interviewed people to find out what their view is
2. He shows both sides in the matter
3. He gives the background information
4. He says that their view is wrong, but in a polite way
5. He gives a better solution to the problem
Monday, October 02, 2006
Welcome to my blog!
Hey everybody. Welcome to my blog! My name is Rachel, and, yeah, that's all that I'm going to say right now. :o)
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